Actuarial Science
Measure and Manage Risk
Actuaries use mathematics, statistics and data analytics skills to assess economic risk. Well known for low stress, high pay, and job security, Actuarial Science is always at or near the top of lists of “best careers” published in the popular press.
Our Actuarial Science major is an excellent fit for students with strong analytical and business skills who are interested in insurance, risk management, or corporate finance.
Actuarial Science Bachelor Degree (B.S.) Curriculum and Exams
The Elizabethtown Actuarial Science major program provides students with all preparation needed to become an Associate of Society of Actuaries. Our program also covers most of the syllabus of the Casualty Actuarial Society.
The following table summarizes SOA exams, VEE requirements, and Etown courses.
|
Course(s) |
|
|---|---|
|
FM Financial Mathematics |
MA 255, MA 262 |
|
P Probability |
MA 351 |
|
FAM Fundamentals of Actuarial Mathematics |
MA 456 |
|
PA Predictive Analytics |
DAT 300, DAT 315 |
|
SRM Statistics for Risk Modeling |
MA 252, DAT 315 |
|
ASTAM Advanced Short-Term Actuarial Mathematics |
MA 458 |
|
ALTAM Advanced Long-Term Actuarial Mathematics |
MA 459 |
|
Course(s) |
|
|---|---|
|
Economics |
EC 101, EC 102 |
|
Accounting and Finance |
AC 101, FIN 325 |
|
Mathematical Statistics |
MA 352 |
Our passing rate for SOA exams is higher than the nationwide passing rate. In addition to providing expert, personalized exam preparation, we also help students develop practical skills for effective workplace participation. We maintain high curricular standards for mathematical depth, and introduce students to a wide variety of technological tools used by working professionals, such as Excel, R, SAS, and Python.
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A Value That Shows
Etown ranked #2 for the best value bachelor's degree colleges for actuarial science in Pennsylvania via College Factual. In fact, we are proud to have one of the few actuarial science bachelor degree programs in Pennsylvania!
Set for Success
Most Etown AS students take on professional summer internships and it is not unusual for successful AS majors to have full-time professional employment secured well before graduation. Etown graduates take jobs in Philadelphia, Harrisburg, New York, Chicago, and elsewhere.
The average annual salary for someone in the field of actuarial science is $113,990 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Preparing You for What's Next
Because of our small class sizes and individual attention our students are able to master actuarial science exams long before they ever take them. According to a recent alumna:
"I’ve really liked my experience at Elizabethtown College. I’m able to pass actuarial science exams and also enjoy after-class activities. The class sizes are fairly small. The benefit of this is that whenever I need help, my professors are always available to help me."
- Yawen Zhang, Actuarial Science Major
Mathematics Minor
Interested in math but looking to complete a different major? Take a minor in math! You’ll build a solid foundation in advanced mathematics such as calculus and linear algebra, and have the flexibility to customize the minor to your specific interests.
Department Life
Life in the Department of Mathematical Sciences is characterized by a spirit of helpful cooperation. It is quite common to see small groups of students studying together in the Math Commons area, or in the “Math Hideaway,” a special study room dedicated to student use. Faculty office doors are always open, inviting students to come in and ask questions or talk about mathematical matters.
Students in the Department of Mathematical Sciences are involved in numerous activities, both on and off campus. In the department, we have a math club and a chapter of Pi Mu Epsilon, the national math honor society, and our upper class students also serve as tutors in our tutoring center to help other students who need help with their math classes. In addition, many of our students spend a semester studying abroad or take part in short term trips abroad.
Math Club
The mission of Mathematics Club is to provide a forum to exchange ideas and information in the field of Mathematics. The club encourages activities and field trips, sponsors speakers, and investigates a broad view of current ideas and research in mathematics and employment opportunities.
Pi Mu Epsilon
Pi Mu Epsilon, the mathematics honor society, is a national organization whose purpose is the promotion of scholarly activity in mathematics among students in academic institutions, and among the staffs of qualified non-academic institutions. This honor society is open to students attaining high academic achievement in mathematics.
Student Tutoring
The faculty specially choose top math students to serve as tutors for the department. We offer drop-in tutoring five nights a week for students taking most 100- or 200-level math classes. Tutoring is obviously beneficial for those being tutored, but it also helps the tutors by reinforcing course material and teaching them how to exercise care and patience when explaining complicated ideas to other people. Such explanatory ability is a valuable professional skill for anyone called upon to deal with the public or work collaboratively, such as teachers and actuaries.
Study Abroad Opportunities
Embrace the world as your classroom! We encourage all of our majors to consider a study abroad experience during their time at Etown. Whether for a semester or for a May term class, we believe that the world is an exciting classroom. Although the programs in our department are intensive, there is certainly room for students to spend time abroad with proper planning. We carefully advise our students who are interested in studying abroad to plan their academic careers to accommodate a semester abroad within their four-year course of study.